Crowell Replaces Grier as Football Coach

by Josh Averbach ’18

Last Friday, Sherwood announced that it had hired Tom Crowell as the new football coach, replacing Chris Grier. Crowell had been an assistant coach at Sherwood during the 1990s, and he assumed the top job in 2001. He led Sherwood to a 21-10 record from 2001-2003, and his Warriors were State Runners-Up in 2002. Since then, he has been an assisstant coach at Good Counsel and St. John’s.

In an open letter posted to his Twitter account on December 8, Grier stepped down as Sherwood’s football coach. Grier has since taken a job as an offensive coordinator and assistant coach at DeMatha, where he was previously an assistant from 2010-12. He will continue teaching at Sherwood.

In the letter, Grier expressed gratitude towards his players, colleagues, and fans, and said that his decision was about putting his family first. He also said that he would work to ensure a smooth transition between coaches and would continue to help his players through the college recruitment process.

“If you’re doing it right, being a head coach is a year-round, 24/7 job. Over the last couple of years, my obsession with the Sherwood football program has taken a toll on my family, and I felt like I needed to put them first. I did not think it would be fair to not give the football program [the] passion and commitment it deserves, so I felt the best thing for the team was to resign in a timely manner,” Grier said in an email.

Under Grier, Sherwood’s total record was 42-14, earning a winning record in each season since he was hired in 2013 (Sherwood has had all winning seasons since 1994). This past season, Sherwood went 8-3. They were eliminated from the playoffs on a nail-biting 20-18 loss at Howard.

But despite the on-field victories, Grier says he is most proud of how the program taught his players lessons about longterm success. “We have former players that are serving the country in the military, who are successful businessmen, and those who have had and are currently having great college football careers … I can’t wait to continue to follow the successes of all the players I have coached in life,” said Grier.

Grier was both a student and an offensive lineman at Sherwood from 1996 to 2000. After playing at Waynesburg University and West Virginia University, Grier began his coaching career as an assistant at Herricks High School in Long Island before receiving a position at DeMatha in 2010.

“It’s been an honor and a privilege to have coached at the school I played at,” said Grier